Artificial bait.



PATENTED DEC. 13, 1904.

D. W. BROWN. ARTIFICIAL BAIT. APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 30, 1904.

N0 MODEL.

iNVENTOR ATTORNIE.

Patented December 13, 1904:.

PATENT DANIEL W. BROWN, OF AKRON, OHIO.

ARTIF-"llfilAL BAIT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 777,491, dated December 13, 1904.

Application filed March 30, 1904:.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, DANIEL W. BROWN, a citizen of the United States,rcsiding at Akron, 7 in the county of Summit and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Artificial Bait, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to an artificial minnow used as a bait for catching fish by sus pending it in a current or drawing it through the water on the end of a line; and the objects of the improvement are to provide means for oscillating the tail laterally so the minnow will meander or wiggle through the water in imitation of the movements of a natural minnow and also to weight the minnow so it will stand right-side up at all times. These objects are attained by the construction, mechanism, and arrangement illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side view of the minnow; Fig. 2, a horizontal longitudinal section; Fig. 3, a vertical cross-section on line 3 3, Figs. 1 and 2; and Fig. 4, a vertical longitudinal section showing an alternate form of tail and of the line connection.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

The body 1 is formed of sheet metal or wood in external semblance of a natural minnow, and in the axial line of the body is journaled the rod or shaft 2, which preferably extends from a point in front of the nose, where the line 3 is connected by the swivel 4, entirely through the body to a point in rear of the tail, where the hooks 5 are connected by the swivel 6. The screw-wheel 7 is mounted on the axial rod, preferably in front of the minnow, by means of which the rod is retated by the current or resistance of the wa ter, as the case may be, and by reason of the swivel connections the line and the rear hooks are not twisted or turned by this rotation.

The tail 8 is attached to the rear end of the body by the vertical pivots 9, from which the lateral arms 10 extend forward on each side of the axial rod, the tail being apertured at 11 and slotted along its median line, as at 12, to freely clear the rod in all the various movements. The eccentric disk 13 is mounted on the axial rod with its edges abutting against Serial No. 200,688. We model.)

the lateral arms of the tail, so that as the rod. rotates the tail is given a laterally-oscillating movement in substantial similarity to the movements of a natural minnows tail, to the effect that the minnow is given a meandering or wiggling course through the water.

i The rotation of the axial rod tends to turn the body of the minnow with it, and even if the minnow is weighted in the middle line of the belly, as is usually done, there will nevertheless be a slight list for this reason, so I prefer to provide the weight in the belly of the minnow on one side of the median line, which overcomes this tendency of the minnow to turn and causes it to stand truly and naturally. A plurality of hooks, as 15, are preferably attached on the sides of the minnow, and in some cases the rear hoolcs can'be omitted, in which event the tail is not apertured or slotted for the axial red, but the latter is journaled in front of its pivotal points, as

shown in Fig. at, and the line may be attached directly to the minnow at a point in its back in front of the middle, as shown in the same figure.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. An artificial minnow comprising a body, an axial rod journaled therein, a screw-wheel on the rod outside the body, a tail pivoted in the body and having arms extending on each side of the rod, and an eccentric disk on the rod between the lateral arms of the tail.

2. An artilicial minnow comprising a body, a rotatable axial rod therein, a tail pivoted .i n the body and having arms extending on each side of the rod, and an eccentric disk on the rod between the lateral arms of the tail.

3. An artificial minnow comprising a body, a rotatable axial rod therein, a tail pivoted in the body, operative connections between the rod and the tail, and a weight in the belly of the minnow on one side of the median line.

In testimony whereof I sign my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

DANIEL IV. BROWN.

Witnesses:

, HARRY Fnmsn,

Josnmr J. HosLnn. 

